instrument panel Acura TL 2000 3.2 Owner's Manual

2000 TL Online Reference Owner's Manual
Use these links (and links throughout this manual) to navigate through\
this reference.
For a printed owner's manual, click on authorized manuals or go to www.h\
elminc.com.
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................\
................................................................. i
A Few Words About Safet y........................................................................\
.........................................ii
Driver and Passenger Safety ........................................................................\
..................................... .5
Proper use and care of your vehicle's seat belts, and Supplemental Restr\
aint System.
Instruments and Control s........................................................................\
........................................ .51
Instrument panel indicator and gauge, and how to use dashboard and steering colu\
mn controls.
Comfort and Convenience Features ........................................................................\
..................... 109
How to operate the climate control system, the audio system, and other c\
onvenience features.
Before Driving........................................................................\
..........................................................145
What gasoline to use, how to break-in your new vehicle, and how to load luggage and other cargo.
Driving ........................................................................\
..................................................................... .159
The proper way to start the engine, shift the transmission, and park, pl\
us towing a trailer.
Maintenance........................................................................\
.............................................................187
The Maintenance Schedule shows you when you need to take your vehicle to the dealer.
Appearance Car e........................................................................\
..................................................... .245
Tips on cleaning and protecting your vehicle. Things to look for if your\
vehicle ever needs body repairs.
Taking Care of the Unexpecte d........................................................................\
..............................253
This section covers several problems motorists sometimes experience, a nd how to handle them.
Technical Informatio n........................................................................\
.............................................279
ID numbers, dimensions, capacities, and technical information.
Warranty and Customer Relations (U.S. and Canada)................................................................291
A summary of the warranties covering your new Acura, and how to contact \
us.
Authorized Manu als (U.S. only)........................................................................\
..............................297
How to order manuals and other technical literature.
Index........................................................................\
........................................................................\
...... I
Service Information Summary
A summary of information you need when you pull up to the fuel pump. Owner's Identification Form
Your Vehicle at a Glance........................................................................\
............................................ 2

Your Car at a Glance
TRACTION CONTROL(P.175)
MOONROOF SWITCH (P.96)
INSTRUMENT PANEL
BRIGHTNESS
(P.64)
HEADLIGHTS/
TURN SIGNALS (P.63, 65) WINDSHIELD WIPERS/WASHERS
(P.65) HAZARD WARNING
LIGHTS
(P.67)
CRUISE CONTROL
(P.69) HORN
(P.62)
TILT ADJUSTMENT
(P.68) REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER
(P.67)

Your Car's Safety Features
Seat Belts
For your safety, and the safety of
your passengers, your car is
equipped with seat belts in all seating
positions.
Your seat belt system alsoincludes a light on the
instrument panel to remind you and
your passengers to fasten your seat belts.
Why Wear Seat Belts
Seat belts are the single most
effective safety device for adults and
larger children. (Infants and smaller children must be properly restrained
in child seats.)
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
though your car has airbags. In addition, most states and all
Canadian provinces require you to
wear seat belts.
Not wearing a seat belt properly
increases the chance of serious
injury or death in a crash, even
if you have airbags.
Be sure you and your
passengers always wear seat
belts and wear them properly.
When properly worn, seat belts: • Keep you connected to the vehicle so you can take advantage of the
car's built-in safety features.
• Help protect you in almost every type of crash, including frontal,side, and rear impacts and
rollovers. • Help keep you from being thrown
against the inside of the car and
against other occupants.
• Keep you from being thrown out of the car.
• Help keep you in a good position should the airbags ever deploy. A
good position reduces the risk of injury from an inflating airbag, andallows you to get the best
advantage from the airbag.
Of course, seat belts cannot
completely protect you in every
crash. But in most cases, seat belts
can reduce your risk of serious
injury.
What you should do: Always wear
your seat belt, and make sure you
wear it properly.
Driver and Passenger Safety

Protecting Adults
Introduction
The following pages provide instructions on how to properly
protect the driver and other adult occupants.
These instructions also apply to children who have outgrown child
seats and are large enough to wear
lap/shoulder belts. (See page 35 for important additional guidelines on
how to properly protect larger children.)
1.Close and Lock the Doors
After everyone has entered the car, be sure the doors are closed and
locked. Your car has a door monitor light on
the instrument panel to indicate
when a specific door is not tightly closed.
For safety, locking the doors reduces
the chance that a passenger, especially a child, will open a door
while the car is moving and accidentally fall out. It also reduces
the chance of someone being thrown out of the car during a crash.
For security, locked doors can
prevent an outsider from
unexpectedly opening a door when
you come to a stop.
See page 77 for how to lock the
doors. 2.Adjust the Front Seats
Any driver who sits too close to the steering wheel is at risk of being
seriously injured or killed by striking
the steering wheel or from being struck by an inflating front airbag
during a crash.
Driver and Passenger Safety

Additional Information About Your Seat Belts
Seat Belt System Components
Your seat belt system includes lap/ shoulder belts in all five seating
positions.
The seat belt system alsoincludes a light on the
instrument panel to remind you and
your passengers to fasten your belts. If the driver's seat belt is not
fastened before the ignition is turned ON (II), the light will come on and a
beeper will also sound. The beeper
will stop after a few seconds, but the light will stay on until the driver'sseat belt is fastened. Lap/Shoulder Belt
This seat belt has a single belt that goes over your shoulder, across yourchest and across your hips.
To fasten the belt, insert the latch plate into the buckle, then tug on the
belt to make sure the buckle islatched. To unlock the belt, push the red
PRESS button on the buckle.Guide the belt across your body to
the door pillar. After exiting the car,
be sure the belt is out of the way and
will not get closed in the door.
Driver and Passenger Safety

Additional Information About Your Front Airbags
SRS Components
Your Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) includes:
• Two front airbags. The driver's airbag is stored in the center of
the steering wheel; the front
passenger's airbag is stored in the dashboard. Both are marked "SRS
AIRBAG."
• Sensors that can detect a moderate to severe frontal
collision.
• A sophisticated electronic system that continually monitors andrecords information about thesensors, the control unit, the
airbag activators, driver and
passenger seat belt use, and all related wiring when the ignition is ON (II)
• An indicator light on theinstrument panel that alerts you to a possible problem with the
system (see page 45).
• Emergency backup power in case your car's electrical system is
disconnected in a crash. How Your Front Airbags Work
If you ever have a moderate to severe frontal collision, the sensors
will detect the vehicle's rapid deceleration. If the rate of
deceleration is high enough, the
control unit will instantly inflate the
front airbags.
CONTINUED
Driver and Passenger Safety

Instruments and Controls
This section gives information aboutthe controls and displays thatcontribute to the daily operation of
your Acura. All the essential controls are within easy reach.
Control Locations................... 52
Indicator Lights........................ 53
Gauges................................58
Speedometer........................ 58
Tachometer.......................... 58
Odometer.......................... 58
Trip Meter............................. 59
Temperature Gauge..................60
Fuel Gauge............................60
Maintenance Required Indicator.......................... 60
Controls Near the Steering
Wheel................................... 62
Headlights..............................63
Automatic Lighting Off
Feature........................... 64
Daytime Running Lights............ 64
Instrument Panel Brightness ........64
Turn Signals......................... 65
Windshield Wipers.................65
Windshield Washers............. 67 Hazard Warning....................... 67
Rear Window Defogger............ 67
Steering Wheel Adjustment....... 68
Steering Wheel Controls............. 69 Cruise Control.........................69
Remote Audio Controls 72
Keys and Locks.........................73
Keys............................... 73
Immobilizer System............... 74
Ignition Switch ......................... 75
Power Door Locks.................77
Remote Transmitter.................78
Childproof Door Locks.............. 81
Trunk.................................. 82
Glove Box ................................ 83
HomeLink Universal Transmitter........................... 84
Seat Adjustments........................ 89
Driver's Seat Full PowerAdjustments........................ 89
Front Passenger's Seat Adjustments.........................90
Driver's Lumbar Support........... 91Head Restraints...................... 91
Center Console Armrest............92
Rear Seat Armrest....................4 92
Trunk Pass-through Cover........ 92
Seat Heaters........................... 94
Power Windows........................... 95
Moonroof...............................96
Mirrors.................................97
Adjusting the Power Mirrors....... 98
Parking Brake......................... 99
Digital Clock...........................100
Console Compartment................ 101
Coin Box..................................101
Armrest Storage
Compartments.......................102
Beverage Holder........................ 103
Sun Visor...............................104
Vanity Mirror........................... 104
Sunglasses Holder.....................105
Accessory Power Sockets.......... 105
Interior Lights..........................106
CD Holder................................ 107
Instruments and Controls

Indicator Lights
The instrument panel has manyindicators to give you important
information about your car.LOW OIL HIGH BEAM INDICATOR
PRESSURE
INDICATOR CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM INDICATOR
IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM
INDICATOR
ANTI-LOCKBRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR
CHARGING DOOR-OPEN LOW FUEL
SYSTEM INDICATOR INDICATOR INDICATOR
TRACTION CONTROL
SYSTEM INDICATOR BRAKE LAMP
INDICATOR SIDE AIRBAG
INDICATOR
PARKING BRAKE AND
BRAKE SYSTEM
INDICATOR*
* The U.S. instrument panel is shown. Differences for Canadian models ar\
e
noted in the text.
Instruments and Controls
MALFUNCTION
INDICATOR
LAMP SEAT BELT
REMINDER
LIGHT

Gauges
For the first 6,000 miles (9,600 km)
after the Maintenance Required
Indicator is reset, it will come on for
two seconds when you turn the ignition switch ON (II).
Between 6,000 miles (9,600 km) and
7,500 miles (12,000 km) this
indicator will light for two seconds
when you first turn the ignition switch ON (II), and then flash for
ten seconds.
If you exceed 7,500 miles (12,000
km) without having the scheduled maintenance performed, this
indicator will remain on as a constant
reminder. Your dealer will reset this indicator
after completing the scheduled
maintenance. If this maintenance is done by someone other than your
Acura dealer, reset the indicator as follows.
SELECT BUTTON
RESET BUTTON
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Press and hold the select and reset buttons on the instrument panel,
then turn the ignition switch ON
(II).
3. Hold the buttons for about ten sec- onds, until the indicator resets.
Instruments and Controls

Controls Near the Steering Wheel
The two levers on the steeringcolumn contain controls for driving
features you use most often. The left lever controls the turn signals,
headlights, and high beams. The
right lever controls the windshield
washers and wipers.
The controls under the left air vent are for the moonroof, the traction
control, and the cruise control.
The tilt adjustment lever on the underside of the steering column
allows you to tilt the steering wheel.
* To use the horn, press the pad around the "A" logo.TRACTION HEADLIGHTS/ WINDSHIELD REAR WINDOW
CONTROL TURN SIGNALS WIPERS/WASHERS DEFOGGER
MOONROOF
SWITCH
INSTRUMENT PANEL TILT ADJUSTMENT HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS
BRIGHTNESS
Instruments and Controls